Buyer – Production Planner

This role will encompass a wide variety of responsibilities including working with product line managers on translating the sales forecast into actionable forecasts in the ERP system and making recommendations on forecast adjustments. Responsible for the scheduling of work orders on the production floor and ensuring material is available to build products to meet customer promise dates.  Strong analytical skills along with demonstrated success in planning in a dynamic, ever-changing, high mix, low volume environment is paramount to the success of the candidate.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Revise production schedules when required due to design changes, labor or material shortages, backlogs, and collaborate with management, sales, production, or engineering.
• Identifies critical part shortages collaborating with Procurement and Product Line Management to seek a resolution and insure appropriate internal personnel is notified in the event of customer shipment delays.
• Work with procurement and production to ensure material is available to end users in time to meet customer commitments.
• Develop forecasts at multiple levels and over varying time horizons through close collaboration with product line managers and the procurement team.
• Review historical sales trends and provide data to PLMs to facilitate improved decision-making.
• Work with ERP system to develop automated ways to load forecast data and drive all aspects of material while working to improve inventory turns and reduce overall inventory levels.
• Develop standard delivery times for key products to allow for faster turnaround.
• Report monthly forecast variances to product line managers
• Recommend forecast adjustments based on statistical data review.
• Provide lead time and delivery information to sales on non-standard products, using knowledge of all materials and resources.
• Working with engineering on phasing in and out of various products with the use of the system
• Reviewing ECOs to ensure proper revisions to products are being produced.
• Develop key forecasting processes using the ERP system.
• Participate in monthly SIOP meetings.
• Due to the type of work at the facility and certain access restrictions, successful applicants must be a “US Person” (US Citizens, US Nationals, lawful permanent residents, asylees, or refugees)

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from a four-year college or university in a related field and 2-5 years of directly related experience in a manufacturing environment and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Thorough understanding of bills of material
• Knowledge of MRP and working with various ERP systems
• Proficient in Excel; experience with all MSOffice products
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
• Experience with IFS preferred.

Job Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong analytical skills
• Demonstrated success in planning in a dynamic, ever-changing, high-mix, low-volume environment.
• Familiarity with inventory control and transactions
• Ability to handle multiple competing priorities.
• Ability to rapidly respond to requests for information
• Communicate clearly to all levels within the organization (verbal and written)
• The physical/mental demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Occasional Lifting of up to 10 pounds to include laptop computer or inventory parts.
• This position requires periods of working behind a desk, and performing tasks on a computer.
• Considerable periods of standing or walking throughout the facility to interface with other associates